Job elapsed time recorder



Nov. 16, 1948- A. AMEND, JR, ETAL r JOB .ELAPSED TIME RECORDER Filed Nov. 27, 1946 2 Sheet-Sheet 1 34 fig 8 55 0 22 Q m 78 3 3 Ti 79 8Q 46 8 45 i I9 66 iNVE-N+on5 24 ADOLPH AMEND JR. 59 as GEORGE c. ENGEL A. AMEND, JR., El AL 2,454,025

JOB ELAPSED TIME RECORDER Nqv. 16, 1948.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MACH. NO.

JOB NO.

MEND JR.

Filed Nov. 27. 1946 wvezw-ycras ADOLPH A GEO GE'C. ENGEL fl-r-ronnsy Patented Nov. 16, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE .3 OB ELAPSED TIME RECGBDER Application November 27, 1946, Serial No. 712,526

' 12 Claims.

The present invention relates to time recording and in particular to an improved means for recording the length of a period using a printing stylus which advances progressively upon the passage of time.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a recorder for imprinting an indication of elapsed time on an inserted record card, which recorder is of simple construction, adapted to be driven by an ordinary clock mechanism and sufliciently low in cost to enable its use as a job time recorder at the bench of each Workman in large manufacturing or commercial establishments.

It is an object of the invention to provide a recorder utilizing an insertedrecord card and which is positive and foolproof in operation, requiring merely the insertion of a card to start the measurement of the time interval and the manual depression of a plunger both to imprint an indication of the passage of time on the card and to condition the recorder for the insertion of a successive record card.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved recorder mechanism having a movable printing arm in which manual operation of a plunger at the end of a time interval not only causes the imprinting of an indicating mark but also the uncoupling of the printing arm to enable the same to return to its initial position,

It is a further object of the invention to provide a time recorder having a movable printing arm and a timing motor interconnected by gears of a selected ratio which are readily accessible for replacement to adapt the timer for the measurement of a selected maximum time interval and in which the gears are further utilized as a positive uncoupling means. It is a correlative object to produce a timing mechanism which cannot be damaged either by manual manipulation or by allowing the device to exceed the maximum time interval.

It is still another object of the invention to provide, in a recorder having a movable printing arm, escapement means for limiting the rate of return movement and which also serves as an audible indication of the return of the printing arm to its initial position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will. become apparent as the following description proceeds taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a general perspective View of an enclosed recorder embodying our invention and showing a record card inserted in position.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along a vertical plane bisecting the enclosure illustrated in Figure l and showing the mechanism as it ap pears prior to the insertion of a record card.

Figure 3 is a sectional view similar to that shown in Figure 2 but showing the position of the elements after a time interval has elapsed and upon depression of the printing plunger.

Figure 4 is a sectional view similar to Figure 3 and disclosing the condition of the mechanism immediately after the plunger is released. but before the printing arm has returned to its initial position.

Figure 5 is a sectional plan view of the recorder mechanism taken along line 55 of Fig. 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the escapement mechanism associated with the printing arm.

Figure 7 shows a typical record card which may be used with the recorder mechanism.

Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a typical electrical circuit which may be employed- While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, we have shown in detail and will herein describe the preferred embodiments; but it is to be understood that we do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed. but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling Within the spirit and. scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims,

Prior art job recorders for industrial or commercial use have in the past been relatively complex, thus making them diflicult to use and, so expensive that it has not been economically feasible for a manufacturing establishment to provide such recorders for individual workmen. Such complication has been. overcome and a number of important additional advantages derived by application of the teachings herein disclosed. By way of introduction, and in accordance with our invention a rotatable time driven member. is coupled to a printing arm through a pair of gears, the printing arm cooperating with indicia on an inserted card. Actuation of a plunger at the end of a particular job causes the imprinting cf the elapsed time and the positive uncoupling of the gears, the latter allowing the printing arm to return to its initial position with a printing stylus opposite the zero index position on a card in readiness for insertion of a new card. In addition to serving as an uncoupling means, the gears are detachably mounted for replacement with a set of a, ratio corresponding to the time indicia imprinted on a selected record card;

The external appearance of the time recorder is shown in Figure l where it will be seen that the recorder is contained in a housing M which has a slotted receptacle If! for receiving a card 14 together with a manually tripped plunger [5 and a jeweled indicator !6. The entire unit is only about the size of a conventional electric clock and thus may be located at a convenient place directly on the work bench Without danger that it will impede the operations which are being performed.

Of the remaining figures, Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are vertical sectional views which will be utilized in describing the condition of the mechanism at successive stages in the timing operation. It will be observed that the frame it on which the re corder mechanism is mounted includes a vertical face plate H), a center plate Zil, and a rear plate 2|, all maintained in parallel spaced relation by means of pillars or cross bars 22, 2%. In general the clockwork and the mechanical elements causing the rotation of the printer lie to the left of the center plate it] (as illustrated), while the printing elements themselves are arranged within the space between the center plate 2!! and the rear plate 2i. Thus the receptacle i2 is located to position an inserted card i l adjacent the print ing elements While the plunger 1 5, located in the fore part of the housing, cooperates directly with the timing mechanism.

Centrally located and projecting rearwardly within the frame 18 is a printing arm shaft 25 which is caused to rotate slowly with the passage of time and which carries mounted at its rear end a, printing arm 26. The latter has mounted at its free outer end a printing stylus 28 which may be of any desired type, preferably inked, and suitable for imprinting an index mark 29 on the index card I 4 (see Fig. '7) its location depending upon the duration of the interval. The stylus 28 has a cavity near its front face connecting with a slot in the front face of said stylus. A felt pad 28a is positioned in said cavity. A portion of said pad protrudes through the slot and is adapted to contact the card when plunger i5 is pressed. Ink may be placed on the felt pad by removing screw 28b which covers said cavity. The timing motor for driving the printing arm may be of any desired type, preferabl electrical, and is indicated generally at 36 mounted on the face plate is and to one side of the recorder mechanism. The timing motor Sil has an output pinion at which is coupled to the gear train within the timing motor through a friction clutch 32, the purpose of which will later appear. A time driven gear mounted, above and in engagement with the pinion 3i, is fixed to a time driven shaft 35, the latter being journaled in the frame is in parallel spaced relation to the printing arm shaft 25.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention the time driven shaft 35 and the printing arm shaft 25 are coupled through detachable gears 36, 38 which are mounted in front of the face plate I 9 and therefrom readily accessible for purposes of replacement. The gears 36, 38 are maintained on their respective shafts by any desired means enabling quick removal; in the present instance this is accomplished by screws 39, 40 respectively which have knurled heads and which are threaded into the ends of the shafts 35, 25.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that rotation of the timing motor til acting through the friction clutch 3.; and the output pinion 3! will cause rotation of shaft 25 and consequently rotation of the printing arm 26 at a rate which is dependent upon the gear ratio of the gears 36, 3B. In practice the printing arm may be caused to travel through one complete revolution in a period of, say, one hour. Under such circumstances indicia M on the record card M (Fig. 7) may be spaced so as to divide the maximum time interval into tenths of an hour. To determine the cost of the particular job, it is merely necessary to (it multiply the indicated elapsed time by the hourly rate of the man or the machine.

In many instances however, production opera tions may be completed in less than one half hour while others may take up to two hours or longer. In accordance with one aspect of the invention therefore, it is contemplated that the gear wheels 36, 38 will be supplied. with the recorder in sets to provide for various maximum time intervals which may be desired, the pair of gears in each set being interchangeably mountable on the shafts 25, 35 after exposing the same by removal of the housing iii. For example, a pair of gears 33 may be used which cause the printing arm to make a complete revolution in one half hour. By reversing their relative positions, the same pair of gears may be utilized to cause the printing arm 26 to execute a revolution in tWo hours. It will be apparent that additional sets of gears may be provided which will produce rotation of the print-- ing arm 25 at an even slower rate, for example, 12 or 24 hours per revolution. For each gear arrangement, however, a card I is selected which has indicia M thereon arranged in properly spaced increments to give a direct reading.

With a given set of gears 35, $8 in position and with the timing motor 3E) energized, the printing arm 26 will cause the printing stylus 28 to rotate progressively in a circular path and out of contact with the inserted record card One advantage of the latter is that very little drag or mechanical load is imposed upon the timing motor In accordance with our teachings improved means are provided for bringing the printing stylus 28 and the card It into contact at the end of a time interval and for automaticall returning the printing arm to a predetermined initial or starting position in readiness for timing a subsequent interval. In the present embodiment this is accomplished by mechanism. actuated by manual depression of the plunger it. As shown in the drawings the plunger includes a downwardly extending plunger strip which lies flat against the face plate it, being guided there-along by plunger guides as (see Fig. 5). The plunger strip is normally urged upwardly into the limit position shown in Figs. 2 and 4.- hy means of a plunger return spring 35 anchored to a projection 46 on the face plate it. In the present embodiment the plunger strip 612 is centered with respect to the shafts 25, 35 and has machined therein slots 43, 49 and all to receive such shafts and the projection (iii respectively, the slots being of sufficient length to allow the plunger to be depressed to the position shown in Fig. 3.

The plunger strip 42 is thus also cut out to re ceive the forwardly projecting end of a toggle member 5!, the depending sides of which straddle the shaft 25 and are pivotally connected to a slide block 52. Adjacent the slide block is a thrust washer 54 which abuttingly engages a snap ring or similar flange-like stop 55 on the shaft 25. In contact with .the other side of the stop 55 is a shaft return spring 56 coiled about the shaft and seated in the center plate Zil. Thus, as man-- ual pressure is applied to the plunger iii causing downward movement of the plunger strip, the toggle member 55 causes the slide block 5'2, and the Washer 54 to move to the right against the action of spring 55. Because of the engagement of the snap ring 55, the printing arm shaft 25 is also translated to the right bringing the printing stylus 28 into contact with the record card i i. The latter condition is illustrated in Fig. 3.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention,

means are included in the recorder mechanism f or disengaging the gears 36, 38 from one another after the imprinting operation is completed in order that the stylus 28 may be free to be returned to its initial position as illustrated in Fig. 2. Such freeing of the printing arm in the present embodiment is accomplished in two steps. The first step, which occurs upon downward movement of the plunger 55, consists in conditioning the coupling gears 36, 33 for separation, while the second step, occurring upon release of the plunger l5, causes the separation of the gears and the freeing of the shaft 25. In brief, depression of the plunger 1 5 is caused to bodily move the shafts 25, and the associated gears 33, 36 to the right (as viewed in Fig. 3) into a temporary position, while release of the plunger l5 disengages the gears by allowing only one of them, gear 38, to return to the normal or left-hand position.

The manner in which the above is accomplished will be made clear upon inspection of Figure 3 in which attention is drawn to the plunger actuated lever 58 which, pivoted on a bracket 5Q near the bottom of the frame, extends upwardly within the frame and into engagement with a shoulder 6i! on the shaft 35. The lever 58, it will be noted, includes an aperture 6| surrounding the shaft 25 and having edges which engage the washer 54 causing the lever to be moved to the right upon depression of the plunger. ment to the right of the shaft 35 tensions a shaft return spring 62 (see especially Fig. 5), the latter subsequently serving to return the shaft 35 and the gear 35 to the normal position.

As stated above our invention contemplates that upon release of the plunger (the condition illustrated in Fig. 4) only the gear 33 will move to its normal position, the gear 36 remaining in its temporary right-hand position. In the embodiment illustrated this is accomplished by means of a latch indicated generally at 54 (Fig. 5) which catches behind the left-hand side of the plunger actuated lever 58 to hold it, and therefore the shaft 35 and gear 35, temporarily to the right. As shown, the latch includes a latch supporting arm 65 which is pivoted at 66 to the center plate 20 and extends upwardly along it. At the upper or movable end of the latch arm 65 is a latch dog 68 here consisting of a U-shaped spring strip anchored at one end 59 and having its free end it! projecting adjacent the plunger actuated lever 58. A stop H which is integral with the latch arm engages the tip 19 of the latch dog 58 and serves both to keep it under initial tension and to positively position it with respect to the edge of the lever 58. A latch return spring l2, which is preferably a leaf spring having its upper end secured to center plate 26, is used to bias the latch arm 85 in a direction toward the lever 58 or, in other Words, into a position in which latching can occur. It has already been stated that downward movement of the plunger I5 acting through the lever 58 and the shoulder 68 will cause the shaft 35 to move to the right, and it is apparent that, under such conditions, the lever 58 will be en.- gaged b the latch 64 and maintained towards the right until the latch is released by means to be shortly described.

Although releasing manual pressure from the plunger l5 will cause the printing arm shaft 25 and gear 38 to move axially to the left to their normal position and, therefore out of engagement with the gear 35, means must be provided for rotatably returning the printing arm 26 to its normal upwardly-extending position. This is ac- The resulting move complished by a. printing arm return spring 14 which applies tension to a cord "it wound about the printing arm shaft. Not only does such return spring cause the printing arm 26 to rotate to its initial position but it also provides the force for releasing the latch 64 upon its return. This is accomplished by the latch releasing tab 76 on the printing arm 25 which, upon reaching its uppermost position, strikes a latch releasing pin 18. The latter is rigidly attached to the upper end of the latch supporting arm 65 and extends through a registering slot 79 in the center plate 20. The striking of the latch releasing pin 18 is effective to move the latch 54 to one side (see Fig. 5) against the biasing force of the spring 12 and out of engagement with the plunger ac" tuated lever 58. It will be apparent that upon disengagement of the latch the lever 58 will be free to move to the left and the shaft 35 and its gear 36 will, under the influence of the return spring 62, also move to the left-hand or normal position. This returns the timer to the condition illustrated in Figure 2 ready for the insertion of a fresh card and the starting of a new time interval.

In order to effect positive return of the printing arm and to cause positive unlatching of the latch 64, it has been found desirable to use a rather strong printing arm return spring it. Damage which may result from the too rapid return of the printing arm is prevented in the present device by the use of an escapement consisting of a pivoted escapement arm 80 (Fig. 6) which is pivoted at 8! and carries upstanding pins 82 which cooperate in a well known manner with the teeth on a star wheel 84 which is rotatable with the printing arm shaft. Although other types of escapements may be used to absorb the energy stored in the spring 14, the escapement illustrated has been found desirable since the noise which it pro",

duces is a positive indication that the recorder mechanism has restored the printing arm to its initial position. a

To simplify the number of controls provision is made in the recorder for automatically starting the timing motor 30 upon the insertion of a card [4. This is effected by using a pair of cantilever contact springs 85 positioned to be closed by the lower edge of the card Id when the latter is fully inserted into the receptacle l2 and irictionally maintained therein. The circuit diagram associating the contacts and the timing motor is shown in schematic form in Fig. 8, where it will be seen that a motor winding 86 is in series with the contacts 85. This arrangement has the advantage that work on a given job may be temporarily suspended and no further time charged against it merely by partially withdrawing the card M to open the contacts 85.

In parallel with the motor winding 36 is a lamp 88 for illuminating the jeweled indicator H5 at the top of the case. The fact that the indicator is lit is a warning that the time is being charged to a particular job; thus if the lamp 8% is lit while the workman is away from his bench, this fact is immediately obvious to the foreman.

In the event that the maximum interval should be exceeded for an reason whatsoever, the timing motor at will not be damaged but will continue to operate, slippage taking place in the clutch 32. Clutch '32 is of the conventional type wherein a member having a plurality of spring fingers is secured to the motor driven shaft. Said spring fingers frictionally engage the side of gear 3i which is loose on said shaft. The latter also prevents jamming of the timing motor by manual manipulation of any portion of the recorder mechanism such as the gears 36, 353.

Re'sum of operation While the operation of the device will be apparent from the foregoing discussion, it will be helpful to summarize it briefly. At the outset the mechanism is in the condition illustrated in Fig. with the gears 36, 38 in engagement and with the printing arm in its upper or initial position. Closure of the contact springs 85 upon the insertion of a card M- causes the timing motor 30 to begin to operate and simultaneously lights the indicating lamp 88. Upon passage of time the printing arm progressively rotates an amount depending upon the length of the interval, for example, to the downwardly extending position as indicated in Figure 3, although out of contact with the record card.

Upon finishing the particular job, the Workman presses the plunger l thereby leveling the toggle member 5! and moving the washer 54 to the right. The latter causes the shaft (and the stylus 28) to move to the right thereby imprinting an indicating mark 29 on the card M. Downward movemerit of the plunger is acting through the thrust Washer 5d also causes the lever 58 to transport the time driven shaft 35 and its gear 36 to the right, the latter being locked in this position by means of the latch 64. Thus when the plunger i5 is released, only the printing arm shaft 25 and its connected gear 38, will return to the normal loft-hand position. The resulting disengagement of the gears 36, 38 frees the shaft 25 allowing the printing arm 28 to rotate back ,to its initial position under the biasing effect of the return spring M controlled by the escapement til, 84. Upon reaching such initial position, the printing arm, acting through the tab it, strikes the latch releasing pin 78 to move the latch M out of engagement with the lever 53. This lever, the shaft 35 which it engages, and the associated gear 36 are then free to move axially to the normal left-hand position under the influence of the return spring 62 to remesh gears 36 and 38. The imprinted card M may then be removed for accounting purposes.

After the card reaches the accounting department, the data thereon may be recorded by a making it unnecessary for the clerk to perform any multiplication to make the proper charge.

It Wil be evident from the foregoing discussion tlhat the disclosed structure is sufficiently simple and durable to withstand hard use in an industrial shop and is sufficiently fool-proof in operation so that it may be readily used even by non-skilled employees. In addition, the ready interchangeability of the gears 3t, 38 enables the device to be flexibly used for any manufacturing operation regardless of length.

What is claimed is:

1. In a job time recorder the combination comprising a receptacle for a record card, a printing arm mounted for movement adjacent a card inserted in said receptacle and having a printing stylus thereon, a timing motor, a pair of gears coupling said timing motor and said printing arm to move said stylus progressively from an initial position upon the passage of time, means biasing said stylus toward said initial position, a manually movable member arranged to be operated upon the completion of a particular job, and means acuated by said manually movable member for bringing said stylus and said card into marking engagement and for unmeshing said gears so that said printing arm may return to the initial position under the influence of the biasing means.

2. In a job time recorder, the combination comprising a receptacle for a record card, a printinii stylus arranged for movement adjacent a card inserted in said receptacle, a timing motor, means coupling said timing motor and said stylus to move the latter progressively from an initial position upon passage of time, a manually movable member arranged to be operated upon the com pletion of a particular job, means actuated by said movable member for not only bringing said stylus and said card into marking engagement but also for enabling said stylus to be returned to its initial position.

3. In a job time recorder, the combination comprising a receptacle for a record card, an arm arranged to rotate in a plane parallel to a card in said receptacle and having a printing stylus at one end for imprinting an index mark, a timing motor, means coupling said timing motor and said arm to move said stylus progressively from an initial position upon passage of time, a manually movable member arranged to be operated upon the completion of a particular job, means actuated by said movable member for bringing said stylus and said card into marking engagement and for subsequently returning said printing arm to the initial position.

4. In a job time recorder the combination com-- prising a receptacle for a record card, a printing arm mounted for movement adjacent a card insorted in said receptacle and having a printing stylus thereon, a timing motor, means coupling said timing motor and said printing arm to move said stylus progressively from an initial position upon the passage of time, a manually movable member arranged to be operated upon the completion of a particular job, means actuated by said manually movable member for bringing said stylus and said card into marking engagement and for disengaging said coupling means and means for automatically returning said arm to the initial position after the marking of said card.

5. In a job time recorder the combination of a receptacle for a time record card having indicia thereon, a stylus movable adjacent an inserted card for imprinting an index mark thereon, a tiining motor, means coupling said timing motor to said stylus for progressively moving the latter upon passage of time, manually operable means for bringing said stylus and said card into marking engagement after a time interval, said cou pling means comprising meshed gears of proper ratio to produce a rate of movement of said stylus which is coordinated with said indicia, and means for automatically unmeshing said gears upon operation of said manually operable means.

6. In a job time recorder the combination comprising a receptacle for a record card, a rotatable printing arm having a printing stylus thereon for imprinting an index mark on an inserted record card, a timing motor, gear means coupling said timing motor and said rotatable printing arm 50 that the stylus moves from an initial position upon :the passage of time, means biasing said arm toward the initial position, a manually depressible plunger arranged to be operated upon the completion of a particular job, means actuated by the initial movement of said plunger for bringi said stylus and said card into marking engagement, and means actuated by the return movement of said plunger for unmeshing said gears so that the printing arm may return to its nitial position under the influence of the associated biasing means.

7. In a job time recorder the combination comprising a receptacle for a record card, a rotatable printing arm having a printing stylus at one end for imprinting an index mark on an inserted recrd card, a timing motor, means coupling said timing motor and said printing arm so that the stylus moves gradually from a predetermined initial position upon the passage of time, means biasing said printing arm toward the initial position, a manually operated plunger arranged to be operated upon the completion of a particular job, mean-s actuated by the movement of said plunger for bringing said stylus and said card into marking engagement and for simultaneously conditioning said coupling to separate upon the return movement of said plunger, and means biasing said plunger for return movement so that upon release of manual pressure therefrom said coupling is separated and said printing arm is free to return to its initial position.

8. In a job time recorder the combination com prising a receptacle for a record card, a rotatable printing arm having a printing stylus at one end for imprinting an index mark on an inserted record card, a timing motor, first and second axially translatable gears coupling said timing motor and said printing arm to drive the stylus progressively from an initial position upon the passage of time, a manually depressible plunger arranged to be operated upon the completion of a particular job, means actuated by the depression of said plunger for bringing said stylus and said card into marking engagement and for bodily translating said gears from a normal position while maintaining them in engagement, and means actuated by the return movement of said plunger for returning only one of said gears to its normal position to unmesh said gears thereby to enable said printing arm to be returned to its initial position, and means actuated as an incident to said printing arm reaching its initial position for restoring the remaining one of said gears to its normal position in engagement with the companion gear.

9. In a job time recorder the combination comprising a receptacle for a record card, a printing arm having a printing stylus at one end for imprinting an index mark on an inserted record card and having means for biasing said arm toward an initial position, a timing motor, first and second gears respectively associated with said printing arm and said timing motor for coupling the same, a manually depressible plunger arranged to be operated upon the completion of a particular job, a lever adapted to be moved with said gears in the plane of the axes thereof and to cause the gears to move axially endwise from a normal position, a toggle interconnecting said plunger and said lever so that upon depression of said plunger said gears are axially transported to a temporary position, means efiective upon the release of said plunger for urging said gears back to their norma1 position, a latch for retaining one of said gears in said temporary position thereby to unmesh said gears and allow said printing arm to return .to its initial position, and means operated incident to the return of said printing arm for releasing said latch and allowing said second gear to return to its normal position.

10. In a job time recorder for use with a selected one of a pair of record cards having indicia arranged in a circle thereon, the indicia of each card indicating a different amount of total time for a complete revolution, the combination comprisin a receptacle for a selected card, a printing arm carrying a printing stylus having a path of movement which coincides with the circular arrangement of said indicia, a timing motor, a pair of detachable interchangeable gear wheels of diiIerent diameters for rotatively coupling said printing arm and said motor, enabling each gear wheel to be either a driving or driven gear so that said arm makes a complete revolution during the total time indicated on a selected one of said cards.

11. In a job time recorder for use with a selected one of a pair of record cards having indicia circularly arranged thereon corresponding respectively to diiIerent amounts of time per unit of arc, a receptacle for a selected card, a printing arm carrying a printing stylus for cooperating with said indicia, a timing motor, a coupling connecting said timing motor with said printing arm for rotating the latter upon passage of time, said coupling including parallel shafts associated with said timing motor and pointer respectively and carrying means thereon for the detachable mounting of a pair of meshed gear Wheels, said gear wheels being interchangeable on said shafts, enabling a gear ratio to be chosen which produces a rotative rate of the printing arm corresponding to the indicia on a selected one of said record cards.

12, In a job time recorded for use with a selected one of a pair of record cards having indicia arranged in a circle thereon, enabling the selection of a card having an indicated time range over a complete revolution which is of greater duration than the probable length of time it will take to complete a particular job, the combination comprising: a frame having a card receptacle and a face plate, a printing arm rotatably mounted in said frame and carrying a printing stylus arranged to cooperate with the indicia on an inserted card, a timing motor, parallel shafts rotatably mounted in a said frame and associated with said printing arm and said timing motor respectively and projecting outwardly from said face plate, said shafts having means at their projecting ends for detachably mounting a pair of meshed gear wheels, said gear wheels being interchangeable on said shafts to the end that a gear ratio may be chosen which produces a rate of movement of said printing arm corresponding to the indicia on a selected one of said record cards.

ADOLPH AMEND, JR. GEORGE C. ENGEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 749,305 Lenot Jan. 12, 1904 1,119,507 Hawley Dec, 1, 1914 1,239,680 Einstein Sept. 11, 1917 2,259,677 Abbott Oct. 21, 1941 2,393,761 Eidmann et a1 Jan. 29, 1946 

